Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
DP-900 Practice Question: Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure
A media company stores large video files in Azure Blob Storage. The videos are accessed frequently for the first 30 days after upload, then rarely for the next 180 days. After that, they are only needed for compliance and are never accessed. Which access tier should be used for the first 30 days to minimize costs while maintaining low latency?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently choose the Cool tier thinking it saves money on storage for the first 30 days, but they overlook the retrieval costs and the fact that Hot tier is actually cheaper for frequently accessed data due to zero retrieval fees.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Hot tier
The Hot tier is the correct choice for the first 30 days because it provides the lowest latency access and highest throughput for frequently accessed data, which matches the requirement of frequent access during this period. While the Hot tier has the highest storage cost per GB, it has no retrieval costs, making it cost-effective for high-access patterns. The other tiers introduce either retrieval fees (Cool), high latency (Archive), or unnecessary cost (Premium) for this use case.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Hot tier
Why this is correct
Hot tier should be selected for the media company's large video files because it is the default online access tier optimized for frequent read/write operations. It delivers the lowest latency of the standard access tiers, which supports daily editing and streaming workloads without rehydration delays or early-deletion penalties. Although its per-GB storage price is higher than Cool or Archive, the absence of retrieval charges for these actively accessed files makes it the appropriate trade-off.
- ✗
Cool tier
Why it's wrong here
Cool tier is designed for data that is accessed infrequently, typically fewer than once per month, and has slightly higher access latency and data retrieval costs than Hot. Large video files being actively edited and streamed every day would generate frequent transaction and retrieval fees, and any file deleted before 30 days incurs an early-deletion penalty. This mismatch with the workload means Cool is not a cost-effective or performant choice here.
- ✗
Archive tier
Why it's wrong here
Archive tier is an offline tier intended for long-term preservation of data that is rarely if ever read, such as backup and compliance copies, with retrieval times measured in hours because blobs must first be rehydrated to an online tier. Active video files for daily editing and streaming cannot tolerate this multi-hour latency, making Archive functionally unusable for the described workload. Its lowest storage price is irrelevant when the data must be immediately accessible.
- ✗
Premium tier
Why it's wrong here
Premium is not one of the standard blob access tiers; it is a high-performance account/tier for block blobs backed by SSD that provides single-digit-millisecond latency for high transaction/IOPS workloads. Large video files held for daily editing and streaming do not require this level of performance, and the much higher per-GB cost with no storage-tier lifecycle savings makes it a poor value. The Hot access tier in a standard general-purpose v2 account already offers sub-second latency that meets typical media serving needs.
Quick reference
Azure Blob Storage Tier Comparison
| Tier | Storage Cost | Retrieval Cost | Latency | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | Highest | Lowest | Immediate | Active data, frequent reads |
| Cool | Lower | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / month |
| Cold | Lower still | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / quarter |
| Archive | Lowest | Highest + rehydration delay | Hours | Long-term compliance retention |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Data Roles and Core Concepts
Key term
Data
Data is raw, unprocessed information, like numbers, words, or measurements, that can be stored, processed, and analyzed by computers.
Key term
Blob storage
Blob storage is a cloud service for storing large amounts of unstructured data, such as text or binary data, like documents, images, and videos.
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